Never Let Me Go
by Meowser Clancy
Summary: Madney. A 911 call leaves Chimney thinking about Maddie. Random one shot. Complete.


**A/N: Randomass hurt/comfort fic that I think sprung up from a prompt on instagram. Can't remember who gave me the prompt though.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

The call came in as a simple domestic disturbance, but by the time they got there, Chimney had a sick feeling in his stomach.

The house was quiet. So quiet. He exchanged a look with Hen as Bobby went ahead. "LAFD!"

The door opened, and a man stood there. "What are you doing here?"

"We got a 911 call about a domestic disturbance at this address," Bobby replied.

"I didn't call 911," the man replied.

"Do you mind if we look around the property?" Bobby asked.

He didn't reply, merely uncrossed his arms.

And then they saw the blood.

* * *

Everyone was silent on the way back. Buck was fidgeting and Hen kept giving Chimney sidelong glances.

"I'm just gonna call Maddie," Buck said, as soon as the truck pulled in to the firehouse.

Chimney had already texted her; no reply. She didn't always have her phone with her at work. She said it was only a distraction and if they were busy, she usually left it in her bag.

That could have been her.

The feeling settled into the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't shake the feeling. It was like someone was following him, it was a constant chill up his spine.

He checked the clock. He had four hours left in his shift.

He wasn't sure if he'd make it.

He really wanted to see her.

Buck returned, shaking his head.

"Did she pick up?" Chimney asked, charging forward. Bobby held out his hand, and Chimney slowed.

"No," Buck said. "She's fine though. What could have happened? Probably just got busy."

Chimney didn't reply; he just folded his arms.

"Come on, let's go," Bobby said. "Tidy up and I'll start dinner."

Chimney had never been less hungry. He just wanted to leave, drive across town to the call center, and see if Maddie was okay.

Of course she was okay, though. As Buck had said. What could have happened?

And yet, the image of that woman, lying there, so still, so battered.

This was the third time neighbors had called 911. She'd refused to press charges. Refused to even get medical attention.

Chimney had seen Maddie so clearly in that moment. Had seen the woman she used to be, had seen the life she might have had.

He wasn't sure what all of her story was. She'd told him bits and pieces but she'd always brush it off, avoid going into a lot of detail. She didn't want to think about it, and he understood that. But he wasn't quite sure just how bad it was. Although it had to have been bad.

Buck had made sure to tell everyone to keep Maddie's situation, and even existence, quiet. "Just don't talk about her outside of the 118," he said. "As far as most people are concerned, my sister is still in Philly, if I even have one."

Chimney sat down when Bobby served dinner, but the spaghetti and meatballs tasted like cardboard and, for one of the first times ever, he couldn't eat.

"You never turn down my pasta," Bobby said, a bemused tone in his voice.

"He's still thinking about the call," Eddie offered. "Hell, we all are."

"I'm guilty too," Hen sighed, pushing her plate away. "It was just too real."

By real, she meant close. Maddie was part of the 118 family now, even if she didn't tend to come for mealtime as did Athena. She was someone to protect, at any rate, and Chimney knew this morning had taken everyone's minds to her.

He couldn't wait until his shift was over.

He was going crazy. It felt like he was walking through water, and every moment seemed to get slower and slower. The clock never seemed to move more than a minute, and for some twisted reason, people were choosing now to not have emergencies to distract them.

The 118 was quiet for most of their shift, and then the call button went off with only one hour left.

Chimney groaned as they ran to the truck. He knew he wasn't getting there til late. Would she even still be on shift?

This call wasn't bad though. A girl had burned her arm at work, and the situation was pretty tended to by the time they got there. No one had panicked and it was in and out.

And now his shift was over.

He checked his phone again. Nothing.

"You heard from Maddie?" He questioned Buck, trying to sound casual and knowing he was failing.

"No, but I'm going to go home and I'm sure she'll be there soon," Buck said. "I don't think she's working the night shift."

Silence.

Chimney didn't want Buck to read too much into him asking but knew internally that Buck already thought they were dating and just didn't want to announce it.

So screw it.

"I'm going to go see her," he said.

"I thought you'd say that, which is why I won't," Buck replied.

Chimney opened his mouth to speak and then closed it, accepting Buck's statement with grace. "Fair enough, and thank you," he managed, and walked through the station, finally going out to his car.

He really tried to not speed. Bad things tended to happen when he was in a hurry and driving while emotional and he really couldn't afford a car accident right now.

Although, Maddie might be the one to pick up if he called 911.

God, he just wanted to hear her voice. He just wanted to know that she was okay. His worry for her was a palpable stomach ache, even as he tried to convince himself that he was being ridiculous, and there was no reason that she wasn't fine.

There was a taco stand right by the downtown call center, and Chimney found himself stopping there, wanting an excuse for stopping by. He'd come with dinner, not because he was panicking over if she was okay or not.

He walked up the outside steps, got checked in, walked to the elevator, bag of tacos in hand.

Sixth floor.

And Maddie.

He walked through the doors, heading for her cubicle. Josh was there, and he seemed to recognize Chimney; he briefly smiled when he looked up from his computer, at any rate.

And then Chimney reached her desk, and it was empty. Well, if she wasn't at work, why hadn't she replied?

And she was working, or at least that's what she'd said last night. Now actual panic was setting in, and Chimney's heart was beating in his throat, and he turned back to Josh, heading back to his desk. He knew that Josh was a supervisor there, and he'd know.

Josh was just finishing a call when Chimney walked up, and he raised an eyebrow to see Chimney headed his way. "What's up, Window?"

"Chimney, but close," he replied.

"Ah, sorry," Josh said, distracted. "You looking for Maddie?"

"Yeah, I thought she'd be here," he said, looking around him again as though expecting her to materialize.

"She's in the break room," Josh said. "She had a rough call." He nodded in the direction and Chimney followed his gaze; why hadn't he thought to check there? That was literally where she'd been the first time he'd come to the call center.

He walked faster, heart fluttering, hoping she'd be there when he walked through the doorway.

She was.

Curled in a chair, arms wrapped around her knees, looking a little miserable, Maddie was there.

"Maddie," he called, and she looked up.

The look on her face when she saw him almost made his heart stop. Surprise, which turned to relief, which turned to what he could only describe as joy.

And she was standing up, and he tossed the tacos on a table and wordlessly met her halfway, opening his arms and she'd opened hers, and they just stood there, in a tight embrace, no words needed, not yet.

Her face was buried in his shoulder, and he breathed in the rose blossom scent of her hair, his hands carefully stroking it.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, wondering if she'd noticed, and she seemed to only hold tighter.

"It was like being back there," she whispered, face still in his shoulder. "With Doug. And I couldn't...I couldn't…"

She started to cry, and he only held her tighter, hands stroking through her hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I love that you're here but how did you know to be here?" She wondered. "I didn't text back. I'm sorry. I just couldn't."

"It's fine," he replied. "And I just...I wanted to check on you. I've had this feeling in my stomach, all day."

"You were worried about me?" She questioned, pulling back. She had tears on her cheeks and Chimney couldn't help reaching up and brushing some away.

"I was," he said. "I always am, in the back of my head."

He couldn't read the look on her face, but she moved back into his arms, wrapping hers tight around him once more.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded. "Not yet."

He only held her tighter.

* * *

 **A/N: Not sure where this came from. I think it's from just generally being anxious and wanting that kind of connection with someone, wanting to be able to hug someone that tight.**

 **Hope you enjoyed :) I feel like this isn't my best work but idk how to fix it lol**


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